BOOMER, the mascot for the Trenton Thunder baseball team, visited the Princeton Packet newspaper in Princeton today on "Take Your Kids to Work Day."
By: Daphna Bemaman, Emily Bruinooge and Daniel Sobel. PHOTOS BY MARK CZAJKOWSKI / Edith Klein
The kids of Princeton Packet employees asked Boomer questions about himself, he signed autographs, and gave high-fives and hugs. Boomer also danced with Michael Girandola.
Although Boomer can’t talk, he made gestures with his hands and body parts to answer questions the kids asked. Boomer is a large, round blue parrot who wears a Trenton Thunder jersey with the number 00. He is 6 feet 4 inches tall and he weighs 320 pounds. The kids learned that Boomer is 10 years old, and that his foot size is 14. His favorite color is blue. Many of the kids asked if Boomer likes to drink coffee and he shook his head "No."
Being a mascot can sometimes be dangerous, the kids learned. Boomer gets hit by balls, people step on his tail and he gets tackled by fans and players. When the crowd is in their seats, he dances for them. His favorite dances include the Chicken Dance and the disco song "YMCA" by the Village People. He even shook his big blue bird bottom to the Chicken Dance to make the kids laugh. At the end of his visit Boomer signed his name on the kids’ notebooks and gave hugs to whoever wanted them. The kids gave Boomer a round of applause and then he waved "Goodbye."